A group of Kalamazoo Township residents want to clear an overgrown parcel of land on the northwest side of the township for use as a neighborhood park.

The parcel, known as Lot 38, is off Pinehurst Boulevard, with an
alleyway next to 1013 Pinehurst Blvd. that extends between two houses to
a fenced field without a gate.

Lydia Hoff told the Kalamazoo Township Board of Trustees the parcel, which Hoff said is so overgrown that she can't tell its size, used to be a baseball field.

"It’s very overgrown," Hoff told the board. "It will take some work."

The board on Monday approved the concept of making the property a park, but referred Hoff to the Kalamazoo Township Planning Commission for a detailed review.

Trustee Mark Miller said the township has contemplated making the parcel a park in the past, most recently through the recreation committee of the planning commission, but decided not to pursue it due to the limited access to the property through its very narrow driveway, among other reasons.

"I would love to see the park, and I was actually pushing for it at the time," Miller said.

Hoff said she pictures a neighborhood park that residents would walk to, rather than one that would need parking spaces. She said the recreation committee does not have a budget for playground equipment and as proposed the park would be cleaned up and used as a green space.

"A lot of organic debris has been dumped there by the adjacent property owners, so it's not anything that would be done quickly as far as cleaning it up and getting it ready," Hoff said.

Trustee Marvin DeVries said it is important to notify nearby residents as to the plans for the park.

Trustee Ron Reid said, "It's commendable that you folks are offering this kind of energy" to make it a park.

Emily Monacelli is a government and taxes reporter for the Kalamazoo Gazette. Contact her at emonacel@mlive.com. Follow her on Twitter.